"He probably won't ever play again"-Michael Porter Jr. recalls doctor's report from the 2018 NBA Draft evaluation process
Michael Porter Jr. was drafted 14th overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 2018 NBA Draft. After sitting out his rookie season due to injury, Porter Jr. is now an integral member of the Nuggets lineup.
Coming off his second season, Michael Porter Jr. opened up about issues dealing with his back injury and how it affected his position in the NBA Draft.
Joining JJ Redick and Tommy Alter on The Old Man and The Three, Michael Porter Jr. was asked about the whole situation on draft night, he had this to say:
"Yeah, so I've never really talked about this too in detail, like, on anything like this. So, the whole process was, I had rehab from my first surgery that happened in Missou (Missouri), then I'm getting ready, I'm getting ready. I didn't go workout for any teams, so I just had one pro day. All the teams came to me in Chicago. And I worked out pretty well, I was in some pain but I thought that was just part of the rehab process. I worked out really good so Sacramento brings me in and was like, "Yo, if you feel good we're going to take you with the No.2 pick." I'm like, "Bet. That's dope."
"But my agent wanted to have a second pro day just for the top 10 teams because he's like, "Man, these guys are raving about you. Like, if you do really well there's a chance you go No. 1, still, even after the surgery." So I'm like, "Bet." And the pro days were only like a week in between each other, so I'm getting ready, getting ready, and then two days before, I wake up that morning, and like, all the pain is down my leg, like, it's crazy again after I had the first surgery. I call my agent, I'm like, "Yo, like, I can't get out bed, bro." So he tells me, "Man, the teams are already on their way. Just let them evaluate you," he added.
"So I end up on the second pro day laying on the table, and all top 10 teams have their doctors there and they're just evaluating me. The guy from the Clippers was the head doctor umm...and he's the one that wrote the report. He was like, "Yeah, he probably won't ever play again," Michael Porter Jr. revealed.
here’s MPJ on his unique draft night experience. full ep live tomorrow Am! @jj_redick @talter https://t.co/APY4Ipoqqu
Michael Porter Jr. also mentions his experience dealing with the pain on NBA draft night, his conversation with Tim Connelly of the Denver Nuggets on the day of the draft and how the exchange motivated him to be a better player for the franchise once they picked him.
How did the report affect Michael Porter Jr. in the NBA Draft?
Injuries play a huge role in deciding who a team will pick. Drafting a player is akin to an investment. The picks are viewed in the context of how valuable the player can be for the franchise.
Teams with poorer records in the previous season get higher draft picks. These are the teams that are looking for a player who can boost their roster and record immediately. For such teams, a player with an injury is a liability.
With the doctor's evaluation of Michael Porter Jr. being that he may never play again, his position in the draft dropped from a top three pick to somewhere in the middle of the first round.
Eventually picked 14th overall by the Denver Nuggets, Porter Jr. ended up sitting out his rookie season to make a full recovery from his surgery.
Michael Porter Jr. dropped a career-high 39 PTS (8 threes) last night 😳
He's averaging 18.2 PPG | 7.6 RPG this season
Future is bright for MPJ
(via @NBATV)
https://t.co/ssMiQONMWx
Michael Porter Jr. has proven himself to be a gifted scorer and a productive contributor for the Denver Nuggets franchise since his return. Averaging 19 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 44.5% from beyond the arc for the 2020-21 NBA season, he has massive offensive upside.
On track to receive a five-year, $173 million rookie max extension prior to the 2021-22 season, Michael Porter Jr. can be a valuable asset for the Denver Nuggets in the future.